JULIA ROBERTS KEEPS HER FIGURE with PILATES & HOME-COOKED MEALS

Julia Roberts has packed a lot in her 46 years. She is one of the most famous and most stunning actresses out there as well as being a devoted mother. Not to mention that Roberts has one of the best bodies in Hollywood! 

The humble actress says that she keeps her figure trim by focusing on making healthy, home-cooked meals every night for her two children and her husband, Danny Moder. Julia told People magazine that her family really value this time eating together and that there is no yelling or fighting, unlike the majority of her movie dialogues! 

"Our conversations are so much happier than that," Julia comments. "I ask, 'How's school? Who has homework?' It's easy."

Julia was recently interviewed by women's magazine Marie Claire, where she again made a point of explaining how much she loves her time in the kitchen. 

"It's my privilege and honour to cook three meals a day for my family, and it's a luxury on a level that I didn't even realise because it can be relentless for me on some days. You have pride in how you take care of your family," Roberts remarks. 

Understandably, eating meals with families also benefits children as the U.S News & World  Report revealed recently. Children who consume dinner and/or other meals with their families are slimmer than children who do not partake in this. In addition, these children that eat home-cooked meals regularly at the dinner table are also less likely to develop eating disorders in later life and are 24 percent more likely to continue to eat healthy foods than children who only occasionally eat with their families. 

According to Well Being Journal, Julia loves to work her body with Pilates and credits this exercise to helping her to shed her pregnancy pounds years ago. Julia also enjoys doing Yoga, run and working out with a personal trainer. 

Want to stay trim and slim like Julia as the years continue to add up? Call Premium Pilates Studio today on 0402 680 724 or visit us online at premiumpilatesstudio.com.

 x Emily 

SIMPLE CHIA PUDDING

I’m a huge fan of chia seeds and incorporate them into my daily diet, whether it’s a tablespoon mixed in with muesli, blended in with a smoothie or sprinkled on top of a salad. My newest obsession is chia puddings, a healthy alterative to the dessert cravings I often suffer from. Very easy to make, these puddings are budget-friendly, filling and a wonderful alternative to yoghurt for my lactose intolerant buddies out there. I like making very simple chia puddings and letting the toppings shine, however you can add more ingredients to step 1, such as ground ginger, shredded coconut and/or a natural sweetener other than vanilla. 

To read more about the benefits of chia seeds and why you need these in your diet, clink on this link to see a post in January I did about this superfood; http://soulfulsandwiches.blogspot.com.au/2013/01/antipasto-salad-with-buffalo-mozzarella.html.

INGREDIENTS

• 400ml (1 1/2 cups) light coconut milk 
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (or you can substitute for oat milk, rice milk, quinoa milk, cow's milk)
• 1/4 cup chia seeds (white or black or a mixture of both)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• To serve: (optional); 1 handful of chopped up fruit (raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, etc) and nuts, a drizzle of organic maple syrup. 

PREPARATION 

1. Pour the coconut milk, other milk of your choice, chia seeds and vanilla into a jar with a screw-top lid.  Screw the lid on tightly and then shake the jar vigorously until the chia seeds have mixed in nicely with the milk and none remain on the top of the lid or stuck down the bottom of the jar. 

2. Place in the refrigerator for one hour. Remove after this time and shake the jar well. Place back in the fridge for another 3 hours or until the chia seeds have become gelatinous and formed a pudding thick consistency. Serve cold, topped with a small serving of fresh fruit, nuts and/or a drizzle of maple syrup, if desired. 

Serves / 4 

Total Preparation time / maximum 5 minutes 

Total Refrigeration time / 4 hours 

x Emily 

HUMP DAY FACTS

A few interesting day health and exercise facts to get you through this mundane Wednesday! (by the way, how much do you love our glittery camel?)

1. A Swedish study has revealed that a greater percentage of hair-loss has been found in people who follow low-carbohydrate or crash diets. So don't be scared of or neglect healthy carbs such as bananas, oats, beans, lentils, peas, potatoes, brown rice, polenta and wholewheat pasta because your body clearly needs them to function! 

2. 1.5 million Australians are currently living with Type 2 Diabetes. What they may not all know is that exercise can very well save their lives. Regular exercise; that is, 30 minutes of moderate exercise most days or 20 minutes of vigorous exercise three times a week can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by 32%, according to a North American study. A recent Swedish study found that people with type 2 diabetes who only exercised once/twice a week or not at all have a 25% greater chance of suffering from a heart attack or stroke than those people who exercise three times or more a week. Even more chilling is the fact that these people with type 2 diabetes that rarely exercise have a 70% higher risk of dying (than those people who exercise three times or more a week). Scary stuff. 

3. Who wants to grow a few centimetres? According to Body & Soul, wearing bright colours and/or vibrant jewellery will make you stand out and appear taller by enhancing your presence. 

4. Don't hesitate to get your skin checked out if you find something out of the ordinary. Melanoma killed over 1500 australians in 2011 and continues to be on the rise, with 2 in 3 australians diagnosed with skin cancer by the time they turn 70. Wear a broad-brimmed hat and 30 plus SPF sunscreen when in the sun and apply every 2 hours. Even better, try to stay out of the sun as much as possible between 10am and 3pm in spring and summer. 

5. Not sure what to do with Chia Seeds? 

• Add 1 tablespoon of these great omega-3 fatty acids to a smoothie
• Place 1 1/2 cups of any type of milk (regular, skim, rice, oat, quinoa, coconut) in a jar with a screw-top lid with 1/3 cup of chia seeds and a tablespoon of a natural sweetener (such as honey). Shake well and place in the fridge for one hour, then remove and shake again. Serve 4 hours later and you have got yourself a beautiful chia pudding and a healthy dessert. 
• Sprinkle on top of yoghurt or your morning cereal or museli
• Add a few tablespoons to a muffin, cookie or goodie ball batter 
• Sneakily place some in a risotto or casserole

HAPPY WEDNESDAY! 

x Emily 

CURRY CHICKEN SALAD

Even though the Brisbane air is super hot, I am missing the cooler weather. Hence this curry salad was created. Perhaps this year I did not treat myself to enough homemade curries as I found myself missing curry spices last week. This salad is my protein champion, with chicken and egg taking centre stage. A tip: try to eat immediately as the salad is not nearly as nice the next day!

INGREDIENTS

• 500g free range chicken breast, cut into even-sized 4cm pieces
• 2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1/2 large continental cucumber, grated
• 1/2 large carrot, peeled & grated
• 100-125g four leaf lettuce 
• 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, roughly chopped
• the juice of 1/2 a lime
• 3 hard-boiled eggs, thinly sliced
• sea salt 

COOKING 

1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the garlic and stir for one minute. Add the chicken and curry powder to the pan and cook, stirring often, until the chicken is cooked (that is, no pink flesh remains; you can test this by cutting the biggest piece of chicken you can find in the pan in half). Remove the pan from the stove and cover, to keep warm. 

2. Prepare the rest of the salad by combining the cucumber, carrot, lettuce, basil leaves and cooked chicken in a large bowl and tossing together. Add the juice of the lime to the bowl and toss again. Add the slices of egg on top of the salad, sprinkle salt over the egg and gently toss to combine. Serve immediately. 

Serves / 4

Total Preparation time / 15 minutes

Total Cooking time / 10 minutes 

x Emily 

HOMEMADE ACAI BOWL

Acai bowls are spreading in popularity all over Brisbane at the moment. It seems like everywhere I look I see an Instagram post on this berry or hear girls discussing where to buy the best acai bowl around. I decided to go out and try a few acai bowls from CocoBlissBulimba (all in the name of research) and then trotted to Wray Organic to buy some acai puree and Acai powder to see if the bowl tastes as good homemade….and it does! 

I did my research before falling feet first into the acai world a few months ago when my Pilates studio started to sell Bony Acai Sticks, a sachet of concentrated acai berry powder that you mix in with 500-600ml of water for an energy boost. I was sceptical at first, but after consuming a few bottles of this berry post workouts I was hooked. My blood pressure and blood sugar stabilised and I had so much energy after punishing my body with a 1 hour Pilates reformer workout. (And if you are laughing in your head thinking that Pilates is just stretching, think again!). Here's what I have learnt about the Amazonian wonder berry and why I chose to incorporate it into my diet. 

What's the deal: The acai berry is one of the healthiest berries you can eat. It is indigenous to the rain forests of the Amazon, is a distant relative of the blueberry & cranberry and is extremely rich in antioxidants, among other things. 

1. Healthy Heart

The Acai berry is packed with anthocyanins, a plant antioxidant that lowers cholesterol levels in the blood stream (similar to red wine, but healthier) . Acai also contains plant sterols, which protect our cells by prohibiting blood clots, relaxing the blood vessels in the body and advancing blood circulation. 

2. Weight Loss

Acai can help you lose weight as well as maintain a health weight for you. A recent study revealed that the pulp from the berry has the ability to lessen the negative effects of a diet high in bad fats. 

3. Gut Problems be Gone

A regular dose of acai can assist in keeping our digestive system functioning at a high level. This superfood contains a substantial amount of fibre and has very impressive detoxication abilities in the body. 

4. Improved Skin 

Acai oil is a wonderful natural alternative to use on your skin in the place of chemical filled skin and body products. Acai oil can be found in many modern and organic beauty products nowadays. Consuming acai berries and other berries orally can result in a healthy skin glow, as the Brazilians discovered centuries ago. 

5. Tackle the Growth of Cancer 

Acai is packed with vitamin C and ellagic acid, a natural phenol antioxidant found in numerous fruits and vegetables.  Combined these two work together to boost the immune system and repress the growth of cancer cells. A study found in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry discovered that polyphenolic compounds taken from the acai berry decreased cancer cell growth by a massive 56-86%. We want to stress that these little berries are not a cure for cancer, however by conducting increased research on this superfood more benefits may be discovered that can assist with reducing the severe effects of cancer. 

6. Anti-Aging Assistance

Here's an interesting one! Due to the extremely high amount of antioxidants (or plant phytochemicals) contained in acai, these berries can potentially assist in slowing down or reversing the ageing process. And here's a fact that blows my mind; acai berries are one of the world's best sources of antioxidants, containing 10 times the amount of antioxidants as that of grapes and 2 times the amount of blueberries.

7. Boost your Energy Levels

Taking acai extract or eating the actual berries can result in a boost in energy and stamina due to the several health benefits that these berries provide. I myself put acai concentrate into 600ml of water after an intense workout and feel so much more energised than when I started the workout! 

8. Increased Function in the Bedroom

Men, listen up. The acai berry has been proven to increase blood circulation in the body, which remarkably can result in an increased sex drive, especially for males. 

9. Better Mental Function

Studies, albeit in the preliminary stages, have revealed that this red berry can potentially impede mental imbalance in menopausal women.

10. Enhanced Cellular Health 

Anthocyanins (water-soluble vacuolar pigments) found in acai work to protect certain cells of the body by warding off the invasion of free radicals. 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 x 100g pack of frozen Acai Puree or 1 tablespoon unsweetened Acai powder 
• 1 frozen banana 
• a handful of frozen blueberries 
• 1/2-1 cup no added sugar coconut water (Green Tea Hawaii makes a no sugar one!) or unsweetened almond milk (use as much liquid as you like; some people prefer a thicker consistency, some people prefer a runnier acai bowl). 

Extras

• 1/2 cup low-sugar muesli / granola / oats
•  toppings to mix in with your muesli or to sprinkle on top:
• chia seeds 
• goji berries
• LSA
• golden flaxmeal
• maca powder
• cacao powder
• pea protein powder

PREPARATION 

1. Place the puree, banana, blueberries and coconut water or almond milk in a high speed blender and blend until all combined. 

2. Pour the blended acai into a medium bowl, then top with the muesli /granola and other toppings, if using. 

Serves / 1 

Total Preparation time / 10 minutes maximum 

x Emily 

MIXED SALAD with POMEGRANATE and SUMAC DRESSING

Thank goodness for the Brisbane storms, as I had no choice but to hang up my renovators' hat this afternoon and come home and cook. We all have something in our lives that helps us relax, that rejuvenates us and makes us feel like US again. For some people it is sex, for some it is reading, for some it may even be playing Playstation (oh my Chris you fall straight into this category). For me my way to unwind is cooking (and exercise). But when you can’t run or walk outside or drive to your Pilates studio, cooking quickly becomes the best option. I have sorely missed blogging about my daily dishes over the past few months and I will try my hardest to continue with at least a few dishes a week as my life continues to spin in crazy circles. Hope you enjoy this vibrant salad as much as I truly enjoyed creating and eating it. 

INGREDIENTS

Salad

• 2 generous handfuls of mixed 4 leaf lettuce
• 1 large tomato, finely diced
• 1/2 heaped cup red cabbage, roughly shredded
• 1 x 400ml tin of brown lentils, washed & drained
• 1 medium ripe avocado, cut into small pieces
• 1/2 large pomegranate, little jewels removed and insides discarded 
• 2 teaspoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 lime, cut into quarters

Dressing

• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped or 1 teaspoon crushed garlic granules
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• juice of 1/4 of a lemon 
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 tablespoons water 
• sea salt 

COOKING / PREPARATION 

1. Combine the lettuce, tomato, cabbage, lentils, avocado and pomegranate in a large bowl and toss well to combine. 

2. To make the dressing combine all ingredients in a small screw-top jar and shake well. Depending on how runny you want your dressing you can chose to add either 1 or 2 tablespoons of water (I used two). 

3. Pour the dressing over the salad, sprinkle the parsley and squeeze lime juice over the vegetables. Toss well. 

Serves / 2 as a main / 4 as a side 

Total Preparation / Cooking time / 15 minutes 

x Emily